considering a motoro. bit of advice??

[IKeepPacu]

if you read my "victim of sudden death" thread you know i lost one of my rays to SSRD. while i do love my retics because of that nice long black tail, im considering getting a motoro. ive seen that they are supposed to be a little easier than retics are, but not quite sure if i should make the jump to buying a $120+ motoro or not yet. are they actually a little easier than retics, or that another myth. not that ill take it for granted, but would be nice to know they are a bit hardier for any unforseen events.

i have managed to keep two retics growing and eating like pigs, and up until ones sudden death, seemingly doing perfect since december. my other is still doing fine tho *knock on wood*

the 75g grow out is filtered by 2 ac110's and a rena xp3. weekly 30-40% WC, and i feed my rays and BGK by a turkey baster to ensure they are fed well, so competition for food wont be an issue. and they will be making the move to my 250g (86x26x26?) with the 75's current mates and my 2 pacu until i find a larger acrylic tank on craigslist/ebay.

so, would my thinking of "i was keeping my retics happy and well with no issue, so i should do fine with a motoro barring anythng out of my control" actually logical? or should i maybe stick with one more retic for now you guys think??

this actually make any sense?? or am i just rambling while mourning my other stingray??? lol

 

[Nic]

Motoros are alot hardier than retics grow faster and are more agressive than retic... they will out compete retics for food usually... also consider that after a few years your tank will be too small for the motoro... i say go for the ray just be careful of the retics being out competed and stressed for food..

 

[IKeepPacu]

they will out compete retics for food usually

that could be eliminated by feeding thorough a turkey baster and by hand like i do, so minus getting to ghost shrimp faster, that shouldent be an issue

how much faster than retics will a motoro really grow?? my 1st retic seems to have almost doubled in size from 3 to now maybe 6" since december.

the 250g (86"x26"x26")would hold a motoro and a retic happily for a year at the most say, right?? just incase it takes me awhile yet to find a good deal on a nice footprint acrylic.

 

[keepinfish]

That size tank would hold a retic and a motoro for a couple of years...atleast.
You should be able to keep a RAY until they are about 16" in that size tank pretty comfortably, considiring you do frequent water changes.

 

[Rosewood022]

I have a motoro that hit 18" in 18 months. Her brother was only 9" at the same age. I have two 6 month old motoro pups at the 7 inch mark. Basically, there is no set growth rate for motoros. They can grow remarkably fast, and sometimes very slow. The 75 will be good for motoros up to 6 months old or so.

The 26" wide tank should be good for at least a year, maybe two, depending on the individual ray and how much you feed.

In my experience, motoros are easier to keep, but my experience with retics is limited, so I may not be the best judge. I would be careful mixing the two, but if you feed with a baster, you might be ok for awhile, at least until you need to feed things that won't fit in a baster.

Personally, if you've been doing ok with retics, stick with them. If you want to try a motoro, be prepared to seperate them (an eggcrate divider would work) if one is out competing the other for food. If they don't get along, you'll either need seperate tanks or you'll want to sell one.


Pat
Amazon Stingrays